The Chronicles of Hikari
by InuShikaMori
Summary: After the corruption of his lands, Naraku set out to obtain and rule the neighboring lands as well, but knew that he would be unable to do so, as the other three rulers, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, King Hiashi of the Northern Lands, and King Itachi of the Eastern Lands, were very powerful in their own rights. A group of unknowing heroes set out to thwart his attempts...
1. Prologue

Chronicles of Hikari

Prologue

Hikari no Tochi, Land of Light, was a peaceful world where human and youkai co-existed in harmony. Split into four lands (Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern), each had their own rulers and lived in relative coherence. The Northern lands were ruled by King Hiashi Hyuga, Western Lands ruled by the great Lord Sesshomaru, Eastern Lands by the kind King Itachi, and Southern Lands by Onigumo.

Each ruler had but one rule, little to no interference and invasion of their lands outside of trade as written in a treaty to keep peace. And for many years, this treaty was honored.

Many ninja and shinobi hailed from the Northern and Eastern Lands, while youkai mainly inhabited the Southern and Western Lands. Borders in each land kept them all separated, with little to no communication from each land.

Consequently, an invasion of the Southern Lands from a pack of out worldly parasitic youkai came suddenly, with the people unable to properly defend themselves. Some were killed, others taken over, and tragically Onigumo was possessed and changed. Having been taken over, he shed his name Onigumo and adopted the name Naraku and set out to corrupt the rest of his land. Since the invasion was done in secret, and with no communication or relations to the neighboring lands, no aid came to the Southern Lands, and its neighbors had no idea of the slaughter and corruption to the Lands and its ruler.

After the corruption of his lands, Naraku set out to obtain and rule the neighboring lands as well, but knew that he would be unable to do so, as the other three rulers were very powerful in their own rights. This is when he learned of "The Light", a being, typically a miko, of great and unrivaled power that if captured and corrupted, would bring Hikari no Tochi to its knees.

He searched for many years in secret for this woman, to no avail, in the meantime strategizing his invasion of the Northern Lands as he viewed its king Hiashi the weakest of the Kings.

So far, he has been unsuccessful in his endeavors but he knew soon, he would find what he wanted….

"Master Naraku, the troops are ready and assembled. We're awaiting your orders to advance on the Northern Lands,"

Suikotsu, Naraku's top ranking general entered his quarters.

Naraku cast him an uncaring, almost angry look as he sipped a cup of sake. He nodded, acknowledging Suikotsu's words.

"Very well, give them my word to move out," he stated unemotionally with a wave of his hand. Suikotsu bowed and stepped back to exit the quarters.

"Suikotsu, give Renkotsu the order to find the miko of light. Assure him that if he fails to bring her, his death with be slow and painful. Very painful," the man turned youkai sneered.

Suikotsu gave a curt nod and left the room with vigor, he himself eager and ready for the opportunity to battle and kill.

He made his way to his youkai troops just outside of Narakus's palace. Youkai of all sizes, types and color resided there, all bloodthirsty and fiercely loyal to their leader and general. When they caught sight of their general they all scrambled to get into formation.

"Master Naraku has given us the word to invade the Northern Lands!" he barked. The demon troopes roared with excitement.

"Your objective is to kill anyone who gets in your way, and to capture the king and princess, alive. Failure is NOT an option. Understood?! SET OUT!" he finished, watching as the youkai all set out towards the border separating the two lands.

Smirking to himself, he made his way to his brother's headquarters. A putrid scent and smoke assaulted his nose as soon as he stepped into the tent.

"Renkotsu, it is time," he stated.

The man known as Renkotsu merely nodded, packing his many poisons and explosives. "My troops have set out to begin the invasion, but I have a special team awaiting you, and will assist you in capturing the miko for Master Naraku. But be warned, he will not accept failure, and if you value your life, you will not fail,"

Renkotsu contemplated his brother's words but gave no response. As Suikotsu began to leave, he paused at the entrance. "Heed my warning, brother,"

Naraku watched his troops leave from inside his quarters. He smirked evilly, both excited and anxious to get his hands on the Miko of Light. Once she was under his control, Hikari would be his.

He would be _untouchable….._

"I'm coming for you my dear," he said aloud. "and when I get you, this world will be MINE," he finished with a sinister laugh.

Next time:

The Light is discovered!

_Renkotsu smirked. "Master Naraku shall be most pleased. Who knew the "Light" we searched long and hard for would be right under our noses, in our lands?" he chuckled darkly._

_Her eyes widened fearfully._

_::"I'm coming for you….and when I get you this world will be MINE"::_

_She wanted to run, but it felt like her feet were glued to the ground. Renkotsu motioned for the three youkai accompanying him to flank and grab her. As they neared, she panicked._

_Her aura began to brighten, until it blinded them. She used their momentary paralysis as a chance to make a run for it._

"_You fools, she's getting away!" Renkotsu yelled._

I deleted this story off my other account _Kyonkichi-luver_, after four years because it really bothered me that it wasn't finished, re-wrote and edited it and placed it under this account so that I could focus solely on this. R&R- _InuShikaMori 3_


	2. The Light is Discovered!

Chronicles of Hikari

I- The Light is discovered!

_I'm coming for you…._

"_No! Leave me alone!"_

_I'm coming for you….._

"_Who ARE you?!"_

_Sinister red eyes stared at her…and yet she couldn't make out his face, couldn't decipher his identity. Only his aura…the evil emitting from him, threatening to suffocate her. His mere presence frightened her. She knew he was searching for her, and was thankful her identity was unknown. She was safe. For now._

_She had the advantage…she could continue to hide. If he found her, it could mean the end of Hikari. She could not, would not let that happen!_

_I'm coming for you….and when I get you….you will be all MINE._

The eighteen year old miko woke up in a cold sweat. Gasping for air, she looked around.

"Dear child, what is the problem?"

She sighed in relief when she saw her great aunt Kaede.

"The dream, I had it again."

Kaede was already up, as always making tea.

She poured her niece a cup, and handed it to her. "Be calm my dear," she stated firmly, making her nieces eyes light with defiance.

"How can I be calm knowing this man is after me, after my power? My being here is not only endangering you, but the village! And if he does find me, he will not hesitate to dispose of you all in his wake. I cannot bear the thought of being responsible for your deaths,"

The young miko lowered her head in shame, tears misting her eyes at the thought of the people she loved dearly being massacred for harboring her.

Kaede set her cup of hot tea down and looked at her niece whom she loved as if she were her own daughter.

"Ye powers are great. So great that it is the single shining beacon of hope this land has. We've worked diligently from the time you were born, to keep your identity a secret, as we've done to all the _lights_ before you, for your safety. My purpose, as well as the rest of this village is to protect you at ALL costs. We are all prepared to lay down our lives, if it means this monster will not find you. Nothing will cause ye harm,"

Tears sprang to the young woman's eyes.

"No….don't talk like that. You and this village are all I have…"

Kaede caressed her cheek. "When you're training is complete, we will send you off to the Western Lands to be under the protection of the Lord Sesshomaru," she smiled sadly.

At that, a lone tear escaped the young woman's eyes, followed by another, and another. Soon she was sobbing softly at the lengths her village were willing to go to protect her from Naraku.

_Thank you…Kaede-baba…_

* * *

Renkotsu growled softly to himself. He was growing weary and tired of searching for this _Light_ wench Naraku kept obsessing about.

No one knew what the bitch even looked like. He was accompanied by three shadow youkai specializing in speed, and with the three of them started their search right in the Southern Lands.

But the search could take months, and if that were unsuccessful he would have to cross into the neighboring lands.

_Naraku is a fool to send four men in search of one wench_.

"Boss, we are closing in on another village," one shadow brother announced. They traveled high up, on a cloud over-looking the lands below.

Renkotsu merely nodded and leapt off the cloud, landing in the heart of the village. The people near paused; some in fear, others in astonishment.

His henchmen soon landed behind him. "Bring me every priestess you can find. Everyone else, kill them," Renkotsu ordered coldly.

The three shadow youkai smirked evilly as they began to multiply…-

* * *

"You must clear your mind, child. Concentrate and clear your mind of everything. By isolating your power into your eyes, you can see without physically _seeing_."

The young miko, dressed in her training gi, her eyes closed, sighed in frustration.

"Concentrate child," Kaede's kind voice reached her ears but did nothing to calm her impatience.

"I can't do it!" she said, snatching off her blindfold. Her aunt sighed.

"You _can_. Don't give up just yet," she urged. The young woman turned to her teacher, with a pout.

Her teacher, Master Shigure, was a middle aged monk, with great spiritual power. He trained the young miko in controlling her unique powers, advanced self-defense and wielding the bow and arrow. In all his years he never came across someone who showed such promise. She was a prodigy, able to conquer her challenges with ease. They were reaching the end of her training, having only to teach her how to see without sight, creating and maintaining not only barriers around herself but others she wished to protect while keeping her own up.

"Take a deep breath and close your eyes," he told her, blindfolding her once again.

She did as she was told. _Clear my mind….clear my mind…. _

Soon her restless thoughts melted away and she took a deep calming breath. Her mind cleared completely and she began to concentrate her power into her eyes.

The circle of monks and other training partners began to come into her vision, the lot of them surrounding her waiting to attack.

She almost gasped, but maintained her composure. Noticing one advancing on her, she waited until he was mere inches away before spinning around, sweeping him off his feet. That was cue for the others to attack.

She dodged the first attack with ease, countering him with a roundhouse kick to the chest, knocking the wind out of him. She flipped backwards as the next attacked with a wooden sword, making him hit the last guy in the face. She then grabbed his sword, elbowing him in the face, effectively obtaining his sword.

She lashed out at the next guy, striking his abdomen then face with the sword, then sliding under the monk following and using her foot to knock him forward face-first.

She stood, barely out of breath, staring at the fallen monks and smiled brightly.

"I did it!" she squealed excitedly, taking off her blindfold. Her sparring partners all got up groaning, some holding their stomachs, others rubbing their faces.

She quietly apologized.

Shigure smiled in turn. "Excellent my child. You have completed your training for today," he bowed, and rose when she bowed in returned.

He left to attend to his other students.

Kaede nodded towards her niece. "You may go take a dip in the hot springs child. I shall prepare dinner,"

The miko nodded and clapped happily, skipping to her hut and gathering her clothes.

She hummed all the way to the hot springs right outside the village. Sighing contently, she smiled sadly.

_I'm going to miss this.-_

* * *

Renkotsu had no luck finding the miko in the village he just left in flames. He was getting impatient.

"We're approaching the next village boss,"

He grumbled his response, but landed outside the village nonetheless.-

* * *

Kaede sensed something was wrong and immediately rose from her spot in her hut to walk outside. Shigure stood outside, looking quite serious.

She knew, like her, he sensed a disturbance in the air. Something was coming.

"Ready the fighters," she ordered. "I'll contact her and let her know to hide,"

Shigure nodded and closed his eyes as she did, telepathically contacting his students and fellow monks.

A figure emerged from outside the village, followed by three dark youkai. Kaede sensed the evil coming from them, and immediately knew what they were after.

"What is your business here _outsider_," Shigure was none too kind in his greeting, having also sensed their evil.

"We're looking for someone," Renkotsu responded in a bored tone. He looked around, noticing how the village monks were surrounding him and his comrades.

He smirked. "Let's not end this altercation in bloodshed. We're merely looking for a priestess. If you bring me your most powerful miko, I may spare your lives,"

Kaede never lost her cool, but Shigure shook with anger.

"Leave now, and we may spare _yours_," he retorted. Renkotsu threw his head back in laughter.

"Old man, last chance. The last village wasn't so cooperative, and now they are on fire. Think of the villagers," he taunted.

Turning to his henchman, he motioned for them to attack.

Shigure and the monks were immediately attacked by the shadow youkai and all their clones.

_This is heaven!_

The young Miko enjoyed the steamy hot-spring, knowing soon she wouldn't get this luxury. She wondered what the Western Lands were like. She knew they were crawling with youkai, like these lands. Were they hostile?

Who was Lord Sesshomaru and what was he like?

Suddenly, she felt uneasy. Sitting up, full and alert, she glanced around the hot-spring. Something was definitely wrong.

She quickly got out and threw on her clothes, intent on heading back to the village and checking on her aunt.

_**No child**_

She stopped, hearing her aunt's voice in her head.

_Auntie-baba?_

_**You must hide. Near the hot-spring, there is a hidden cave hidden behind some boulders. The rocks will allow only you passage as Shigure created a special barrier that will hide you from your enemies.**_

_Kaede…why? _She was nervous, but wanted to help her fellow villagers if necessary.

_**The ones who seek you are here. We are doing our best to keep them from finding you.**_

_I'm coming to help you guys fight!_

_**NO! Hide child, if they find you then it means the ends for ALL of us! Hide and do not do anything foolish. We will be fine.**_

_I won't leave you to die Kaede! _She'd started to walk to the village when she felt Kaede mentally force her back.

_**Hide now child. That is an order.**_Keade's words were harsh, but full of love and concern.

The miko felt tears well up into her eyes. It was too soon. Her training was not yet complete. It was happening too fast!

But she would heed her aunt's warning to hide….for now.-

* * *

Hours later as night began to fall, the young miko began to worry. She'd been unsuccessful in contacting her aunt and guardian. It was then she decided to head back to her village.

She feared the worst.

As she neared the village, however, she saw smoke in the air. She broke into a run, as tears sprang to her eyes.

_PLEASE LET EVERYONE BE OK!_

She reached the village, and the sight made her sob. Her worst nightmare had come true. Her village was in flames, bodies of the people she cared for scattered about the ground.

Looking around frantically, she searched for Kaede. Her aura began to fan out and subdue and extinguish the flames.

"Looking for her?"

A voice stopped her, and she turned to see a black shadow-like youkai sitting on the hut she called home, holding a bloody Kaede.

"Kaede!" she called running towards the two as the youkai dropped her aunt.

Kaede fell to the ground in a broken heap. The miko fell to her knees beside her, hysterical.

"No! Kaede I-I can heal you! P-please don't die, please don't leave me alone!" she cried. Kaede stirred slightly, opening but one of her eyes. She smiled slowly and raised her hand to caress her niece's tear stricken face.

"Dear child, don't cry," she said in a barely audible voice.

"K-kaede….you're gonna be ok! I'm going to heal you ok?" the younger woman began to concentrate her aura into her hand.

"No!"

Kaede's sharp response took her by surprise.

"No…? Why Kaede-baba?" "It is my time, child. And your time to realize your true power. Run, now before it is too late. Leave…before they catch you…."

It was then and there, in her arms that her aunt Kaede drew her last breath. The miko sobbed and shook uncontrollably…this could not be happening.

The sound of hand claps startled, then angered her.

"Perfect theatrics. Bravo," the youkai sneered heartlessly. The miko looked at him, fury burning in her eyes.

What took him off guard, however, was the color they glowed.

_Her eyes are…purple!_

"You…will pay," her voice was lower, deeper than before. It un-nerved him a bit.

"Well well well….this is interesting indeed…"Renkotsu approached the young miko with a smirk on his face.

"Master Naraku shall be most pleased. Who knew the "Light" we searched long and hard for would be right under our noses, in our lands?" he chuckled darkly.

Her eyes widened fearfully.

::"I'm coming for you….and when I get you this world will be MINE"::

She wanted to run, but it felt like her feet were glued to the ground. Renkotsu motioned for the three youkai accompanying him to flank and grab her. As they neared, she panicked.

Her aura began to brighten, until it blinded them. She used their momentary paralysis as a chance to make a run for it.

"You fools, she's getting away!" Renkotsu yelled_._

She ran as fast as her legs would take her, which she noticed was exceptionally fast. She didn't feel their auras directly behind her or even near her, but still would not take her chances.

_I have to mask my scent and suppress my aura so that they won't be able to know my whereabouts._

Still running, she concentrated by closing her eyes. Utilizing her last lesson, she was able to still see her surroundings. She used her aura to completely neutralize her scent then proceeded to suppress her aura to become virtually undetectable.

She knew she should have heeded Kaede's warning to stay hidden, but her refusal to leave her aunt overrode her common sense and therefore revealed her identity to the enemy.

Somehow, she needed to head West and find the Lord Sesshomaru. Only then would she be safe.

Next time:

Amnesia! Enter Inuyasha!


End file.
